Equip
THE KING’S LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE
Print One Copy of the Following for Each Youth / Young Leader:
“Equip Young Leaders Agenda”
“Prayer Calendar”
“I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following in truth.” 3 John 1:4
What does “following the truth” mean?
Many people can get frustrated with the do’s and don’ts and think that following God means having a long set of rules to follow. Sometimes people can see God this way… “do this, don’t do that.” You may even feel defeated when you fail to keep the rules. God gives us rules to protect us, not to frustrate us. But it is not about the rules. It is about having a relationship with God.
#1 Question: How do you see God? a) Harsh, ready to punish b) Gentle and Kind. See Exodus 34: 6-7. Day 9 on Prayer Calendar
Story: The King’s Love for His People
There was once a King and His Son. They lived in a big, beautiful palace, and they ruled as King over a town with many people. The King provided for the many people who lived in the town. The King loved them all and desired to spend time with each of them. The people were happy because the King provided them with all they needed.
As you read the rules, have the youth follow along. Ask them to consider which of the rules they struggle with the most.
(The rules are also listed on the Prayer Calendar. Days 34 & 35)
The King set rules and guidelines for them like:
1. Love Me, and put Me first in your life.
2. Listen to Me. Only I know and have your best interest at heart.
3. Speak to Me with love and respect.
4. You will spend one day a week learning about Me. You will also share with Me what is
on your mind, and I will listen and help you.
5. Listen and obey your mother and father.
6. Do not hurt anyone.
7. Do not use your mind or body for wrong intentions.
8. Don’t take what belongs to someone else.
9. Be honest and tell the truth.
10. Don’t be jealous and want what others have.
The King created a chart, and red marks were given to each one who did not follow the rules perfectly.
The people loved the rules and thought they were very fair, but they found they could not keep them all. Some felt the heavy burden and knew they’d never be able to follow the rules perfectly. They fell on their knees before the Son asking for forgiveness. The King and the Son rushed in and received them as their own children. Now everything changed, and they were granted a relationship with the King, and the Son.
Some people began arguing about the rules and thought they were better than others who were messing up all the time. They began judging them saying, “You are nothing but a mess up!” — even though they were messing up too. They also taunted those who were messing up saying, “The King loves us more because we are better than you!”
The ones messing up a lot felt like failures. They thought the King did not love them because they were always messing up, and they were tired of seeing all the red marks next to their names. They were free and didn’t have to stay in that town. They gave up and decided to leave the town to find a place that did not have so many rules. One of those who left had a friend who lived in another town. The friend said you can come and live with us—we have no rules here! So, he went to live with his friend.
#2 Question: Where do you see yourself? a) Finding it difficult to keep the rules and
asking God for forgiveness b) Thinking many people are “mess ups” c) Messing up a lot
and feeling like a failure. (See Matthew 22:36-39. Day 16 on Prayer Calendar.)
His friend’s house was very noisy. There were several rooms and the friend told him he could pick any of the rooms he wanted to stay in. As he walked down the long hall he heard crying from one room, and he decided not to go
there. Fighting and yelling came from another room, and he stayed clear of that one.
Finally, he came to a room where he heard laughter, so he decided to stay in that room. He heard one of those who were in that room say, “This is the fun room!” and he thought surely, he made the right choice.
They even had a ball in that room that they would throw around. He liked that and started to join in on the fun. The ball came flying fast at him and he caught it. He threw it to someone, and they laughed at him and said, “You look funny.”
Day after day, they poked fun and made jokes about other people. He tried to
keep up with them and laugh at all that they thought was funny. But one day he noticed someone sitting and crying. He asked him, “Why are you crying?”
The one crying responded, “They laughed at me because I could not keep up with them. They called me names, made jokes about me, and hurt me.”
Someone said to the one who was crying, “It is time for you to leave this room. You have to go to the crying room!”
The boy who left the King’s town thought to himself “Oh
no! Maybe I chose the wrong room after all.
Wait, maybe I chose the wrong town!” He decided to return and ask the King if he could come back to live and tell Him, “I am sorry!”
When he returned, he noticed a new chart on the wall. There was only one name on the chart, and it was covered with red marks! There was another chart next to it that had many names, but that chart was completely white with no red marks. The boy asked the King
who the person was that could not keep any of the rules. The King answered, “That is My Son, but He kept all the rules perfectly.”
“Why does He have red marks all over His chart?” the boy asked.
“Because I sent my Son to the people in the town, and He took all the red marks of those who asked and believed in Him.”
The boy replied, “My King, I want to be free of all my red marks!”
The King replied, “If you want to be free, you must believe that My Son died and rose again to take away all those red marks.” The boy replied, “I do believe!”
“Come, let me show you where My Son is now,” said the King. The King brought the boy into a big palace where the Son was sitting on a Royal Throne.
As the boy came closer, he heard a beautiful melody of voices singing together, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the One who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
The boy fell to his knees before the Son and said “I could not keep all the rules. I felt like a failure, so I left! Please forgive me! Will you take my red marks and let me live in this town with you?
The Son replied, “My child, trusting in Me is what it is all about. I will take all your red marks and move them to My chart. Your chart will be completely clean. Come, let me show you many who felt the same as you. They were tired and carrying heavy burdens of guilt, regret, and sin. They came to me, and I took their heavy loads and gave them rest. Now, they can see me, learn from me, and know that I am humble and gentle with them.”
The child said to the Son “Thank you for taking all my red marks. I understand now that you have my best interests at heart, and You know everything! Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” said the Son.
“Why did you do this for me?”
The Son hugged the child, and with a smile He said, “Because I love you.”
#3 Question: Do you believe God loves you? (See John 3:16-17. Day 1 on Prayer Calendar.)
The Son brought the child to a community in the town where there were many children, and they all had a Helper alongside them. The Helper was there to help them love the King and the Son. He was there to help them serve one another in love. There was a sign
on the wall that read, “Love God with all your heart. And love your neighbor as yourself.” Everyone there wanted to treat others the way they wanted to be cared for. And they loved The Son, The King, and The Helper with all their heart.
The Son asked the child, “Do you know who brought you to Me?”
“Yes,” the child responded, “Your Father, the King.”
The Son replied, “He is My Father and your Father! I Am Jesus, your Savior, the One who forgives all your sins. Your Helper is The Holy Spirit, your Teacher, and Friend. And Our name is God, your Creator.”
#4 Question: Do you accept Jesus’ sacrifice as payment for your sins, and desire God’s Holy Spirit to help you live God’s way? (See Acts 2:38 & Romans 10:9. Day 19 on Prayer Calendar.)
The children in that community loved one another, but most of all they loved God with all their hearts, and they loved listening to Him, spending time with Him, reading His Word, and the children loved sharing with Him what was on their hearts and minds.
Jesus said to all the children, “In this place you will still struggle, but remember to love others as I have loved you. You will also have troubles, and people will disappoint you. But take heart, you are not a victim. You are victorious! Because I have overcome, and I am with you. So have Peace. Have joy because one day you will live in the palace with Me and My Father.”
Now who will go to the other town and tell the one who was crying everything about Me and that I love him?”
“Here I am. Send me!” the boy replied.
Jesus said, “Yes, go. How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
#5 Question: Do you desire to show God’s Love to others? (See Romans 10:14-15. Day 18 on Prayer Calendar)
Story Explained:
In the story above, the rules are the 10 commandments. The child receives red marks and becomes frustrated because he’s not able to keep all the rules. He also feels judged and makes the decision, “Keeping the rules is not for me.” He leaves, finds friends who feel the same way, and chooses to join the “laughing group.” He recognizes he made the wrong choice and decides to return and say, “I am
sorry.”
The King shows him that not keeping the rules is sin. Sin separates him from God, and only by receiving Jesus’ sacrifice can his sins be completely wiped away. (Sin is anything we do, think, or say that does not please God.) The child asks the Son for forgiveness
and receives the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps him understand God’s Word and to follow Him. The Holy Spirit also helps him love God with his whole heart and love others as himself.
Now, the boy knows it was never really about the rules, it is about loving God with all your heart, and trusting in Jesus. The rules show us that we are sinners. Only Jesus can keep the rules perfectly, and so He fulfilled the requirement of “keeping the rules” for us. Jesus
gave us His perfect life so we can be free from sin and death. Jesus, who did not sin, took the penalty for our sin. He took off His robe of righteousness and gave it to us. When we receive Jesus as Savior, that is how he sees us, clothed in a pure white robe of righteousness.
Now we can be united with God and enjoy a relationship with Him. The child now understands that God is loving, forgiving, gentle, and kind. To make the right choices in life the child knows he can ask, and God will not look at his faults, but will give him all the wisdom and help he needs.
“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” James 1:5
#6 Question: Do you own a Bible? a) Yes b) No, but I would like one. (See 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Day 4 on Prayer Calendar)
God’s Word Breaks it Down:
“So the trouble is not with the law (rules), for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.” Romans 7:14
“So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
He did this so that the just requirements of the law would be fully satisfied for us,
who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-5
“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Galatians 5:13-14
GOING TO A CARE FACILITYWHAT TO EXPECT
You are going to Care Facilities where you will meet many seniors. In Care Facilities, they call the seniors “residents”.
To relate to the residents in Care Facilities, let’s first know that these residents have experienced many losses, such as their homes, cars, independence, and sometimes spouses and families.
Some residents in memory care may struggle with remembering things, like how to brush their tee
Because these residents have many losses, something inside of them can get lost too. Isolation can cause the light inside of them to go dim, and they can forget who they are in Jesus. When we look at them in their eyes and tell them, “God loves you,” something wakes them up!
And here is something you may not expect — it wakes something up in us too! Allow yourself to feel God’s tenderness and compassion for the person right in front of you and you may discover something in yourself that you did not realize was there. There may be a talent or gift that has laid dormant for way too long. “God has a winwin for us when we go in His love.”
Even though some residents may struggle remembering many things, they never lose what they have learned about God’s love. Our gentle words to remind them are just what they need to hear. God’s Word brings them great peace.
This is the importance of Contagious Joy: to remind people who they are in Jesus. It stirs hearts to say, “Thank you for coming to tell me about Jesus.” They smile and dance for the first time in a very long time. There is a connection that happens. You don’t make it happen. The residents don’t make it happen. God makes it happen
The Holy Spirit allows the beauty of who He is to light up the room. He makes Jesus real in their hearts, and passion comes alive. They
see that Jesus really does love them, and we are there in His name to represent His love. We come in the name of Jesus and give His love. We can’t give a better gift than that!
You Will Make Wise Friends.
- Residents have the opportunity to share their perspectives as they have lived through historical moments that have impacted their lives.
- Learning about history from someone who has lived it is one of the best ways to learn. Residents have a lot of wisdom, knowledge, and desire to share with others.
- Start a conversation. Touch residents on the shoulders or hands. You can even offer a hug when you leave if you feel comfortable doing so. Listen carefully while you’re
spending time with them, this will make them feel valued. Your friendship will mean so much to them. - As you have conversations and get to know some of the residents, you’ll hear stories that will make you smile, laugh and even cry. One thing is for sure, their stories will certainly touch your heart.
Margie Became My Dear Friend.
After performing a play at a Care Facility, I asked the activities director if I could come back and visit separately with those who do not receive visitors.
She provided a list of residents who did not get visits. I was able to form a relationship with a dear friend, Margie.
Margie was 82 years old and never had children. She did not get many visits. We talked and I read the devotional Jesus Calling to her. God connected our hearts.
She could not walk and was paralyzed on the left side. Since she did not like chocolate and I did, she would save her cookies and give them to me on our visit.
I grew to love Margie very much. She would call me to pray with her about things that she was worried about.
She shared with me that she would like to buy a home and live together with her niece. This seemed like an impossible plan because of her physical limitations. Her belief that God could do the impossible was inspiring!
At 84 years old, Margie ended up buying a house through a realtor and settled everything on the phone. When the Care Facility van took her to her new home, they asked which house was hers. She replied, “I don’t know. I have not seen it yet.”
This is what faith can do! Margie believed that if it was God’s will—it would happen. She moved in with her niece where she spent her last four years. I continued to visit her at her home, and it was a blessing to share and pray with her in her final days. What an example and blessing Margie has been in my life!
After Margie’s homegoing, her niece Jeanmarie Stiles shared this thought:
“My Aunt Margie’s greatest happiness was meeting the Contagious Joy team and becoming their friend. It all started when my Aunt was in an assisted living home where she was not happy. Contagious Joy came in and did a play then everything changed. Her outlook became brighter, and her spirits were lifted. It was as if Contagious Joy had sparked her faith. She believed that God works things out for
us if we trust in Him. Contagious Joy = trust in God and find happiness in your faith.”
A Few Things to Remember About Your Visit
Don’t worry about your skills. You don’t have to be the most talented singer or the best actor. You’ll do great! And God will use the talents you have to touch others. You being there is the most important part. Just show up, and let God handle everything else.
Take time to show love to the residents and invite them to receive Jesus as Savior after your performance. See “Interactive Time with Residents” for some ideas.
It’s totally normal to feel shy, but you can be 100% confident that the residents will be overjoyed to spend time with you and hear the Good News about Jesus.
God’s word never returns to Him empty.
“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah 55:11
Did you hear that? God will accomplish all He wants to, so we don’t have to worry, we just take His word out and He will do the rest!